The need to reduce automotive fuel consumption and emissions is well known. Therefore, vehicles are being developed that reduce or completely eliminate reliance on internal combustion engines. Electrified vehicles are one type of vehicle currently being developed for this purpose. In general, electrified vehicles differ from conventional motor vehicles because they are selectively driven by one or more battery powered electric machines. Conventional motor vehicles, by contrast, rely exclusively on the internal combustion engine to propel the vehicle.
Electrified vehicles include multiple electrical systems for distributing electric power throughout the vehicle. Fuses are used in many such electrical systems, including within a high voltage battery pack that is employed to selectively power the electrified vehicle. Fuses are designed to open when an abnormality occurs in the electrical system in order to interrupt the circuit. Fuses therefore act as sacrificial devices for protecting the electrical systems from damage during circuit overload conditions.